


Blue Lips, Blue Veins

by SilverCrane



Series: Requests!:)) [1]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Hanahaki Disease, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 21:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20553050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverCrane/pseuds/SilverCrane
Summary: David is twelve when he learns about the disease. The Hanahaki disease, named after the scientist who discovered it.He's seventeen when he falls in love.





	Blue Lips, Blue Veins

**Author's Note:**

> :D Hi guys! It's me again. This was actually a request from Tellthosewithpowersafeintower on Tumblr! They requested Pining!David with either soulmate or Hanahaki, so here it is! :)  
Hope you guys enjoy!

David is twelve when he learns about the disease.

They call it the Hanahaki Disease, after the man who discovered it.

"It's a sad thing." Says his principal, shaking his head. "To lose someone to this."

Next to David, Alexander Lewis shakes silently. It was his sister that spurred this lesson, after she mysteriously stopped coming to school. 

David doesn't know how to help.

He's sixteen when he first sees it in person, when he walks into the lodge house to see Crutchie, curled up on a bed. Coughs rack his body, and when he pulls his hands away, they're coated in blood.

Blood and flowers.

Crutchie gives him a faint smile and wipes his hands dry.

"At least they're pretty." He whispers, plucking blue petals off his pants. Blue, like the eyes of a certain Jack Kelly.

David just nods, trying to keep down the bile threatening it's way up his throat.

It lasts a week before stopping, suddenly.

And then he sees Jack and Crutchie spending more time together, hands intertwined under the table, fingers raking through hair.

He starts to notice it more, the way Crutchie's laugh lights up the room whenever Jack tells a really good joke, the way Jack's eyes light up when looking at Crutchie. 

And only Crutchie.

He's seventeen, and it's raining, and he just lets it wash over him. The sky is blue, and blue reminds him of Jack, and Jack reminds him of petals, and petals remind him of Crutchie.

He feels like he's choking.

Like the rain is filling his lungs, watering slumbering seeds.

He coughs.

Loudly.

Harshly.

A petal, blue as a summer sky, streaked with red blood.

David closes his eyes.

It's Jack that finds him, curled up in an alley, shivering from the cold, completely soaked to the bone.

He doesn't say much, doesn't force Davey to tell him what's going on. He just slides down next to him, wrapping his arms around Davey's shaking frame.

"Can't go home." David chatters through blue lips, voice muffled by his hand. He coughs, doubling over.

He can practically sense Jack's worry.

"Shit, Davey, who is it?" He asks, but David just shakes his head.

"S'not important, Jackie." He winces at the nickname, lowering his hand just in time for another fit of coughs. He leans over and vomits his guts out, speckled with blue petals.

"Shit, Dave, it is important! You'se gonna-" He trails off, and David lifts his head.

"What? Gonna die? Yeah. Probably." He laughs wryly, standing up on wobbly legs. "Look- I can't go home. I can't-"

Jack cuts him off with a hand on his shoulder, fixing his stupid, horrible, beautiful eyes on Davey. "Come back to the lodge with me." He says softly, and David can almost believe he means it romantically.

He wakes up in a warm bed, surrounded by noise.

"Heya, Dave." Crutchie greets, poking his head over the side of the top bunk. "Heard you weren't feeling well. Wanna talk about it?"

David gingerly sits up, careful not to bump his head on the ceiling. He doesn't respond, pulling the thin blanket closer around his shoulders.

"Kay, I'm comin' up!" Crutchie calls, expertly climbing the ladder. David scoots over to give him room, holding back a cough. His mouth tastes like a bad mixture of blood and flower, and he spits a small blue petal out.

"At least they're pretty." Crutchie whispers, giving David a knowing look. David just laughs, even though the motion hurts.

Crutchie doesn't say much more after that, but the look in his eyes is enough. He puts his arms around David, and that's it.

He feels like he's choking. Like he's swimming, and a huge wave has just engulfed his entire being. 

He coughs.

Two petals, blue and yellow. 

Streaked with blood, splattered with tears.

And David feels like he's choking.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you have any questions or requests, my Tumblr is silvercrane14


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